Circuit breaker with indicator lights

Abstract

A circuit breaker arranged with overload sensing, switches and LED indicators. Provided is a green LED (42) which when lit indicates that the circuit is blown and so the electrical wires from the breaker are not powered--the wires are "dead"; a red LED is also provided to indicate, when lit, that the electrical wires are powered or "live", in addition there is an amber third LED (52) which, when lit, indicates that a short circuit overload is still connected to the breaker output terminals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a circuit breaker having a movable contact connected to an input terminal, said movable contact mounted on a contact arm movable between a closed position directly contacting a fixed contact and an open position away from said fixed contact, a neutral terminal, a load terminal from which a load circuit extends through said fixed and said movable contacts during normal conditions and disconnected from said first contact during an overload condition caused by a short circuit condition in the load circuitry, a tripping mechanism including an overload circuit responsive member connected between the movable contact and the load terminal, said tripping mechanism senses the presence of an overload condition, through the overload circuit responsive member to disconnect, by moving said contact arm, said fixed contact from said movable contact; the improvement comprising: a first blown circuit indicator connected from said input terminal to said load terminal, said blown circuit indicator connected in parallel with said fixed and said movable contacts, said contact arm and said tripping mechanism such that said indicator shows when said circuit breaker has tripped due to an overload short circuit in the load circuitry, said indicator having the full power input voltage across said indicator through said input terminal and through said overload short circuit when said circuit breaker is in the overload condition,   a second indicator connected from said load terminal to said fixed contact, said second indicator showing when said circuit breaker is in the normal--not overloaded--condition, said second indicator having the full power input voltage across said second indicator through said input terminal, through said movable and said fixed contacts and through said neutral terminal, said second indicator showing that said input power is received at said load terminal.   
     
     
       2. A circuit breaker as in claim 1 wherein said breaker further comprises: a second fixed contact which connect to said movable contact when said breaker is in the overload condition,   a third indicator connected from said second fixed contact to said neutral terminal, said third indicator shows when said breaker is in the overload condition and has the full input voltage across said third indicator through said input terminal, through said movable contact and through said second fixed contact and through said neutral terminal.   
     
     
       3. A breaker as in claim 2 wherein said indicators are high impedance LEDs which emit light when a voltage of 50 to 250 volts are across said LED's.